Process for producing leather substitutes.



fmcmim annxaunnn MoLAURIN, or GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

rnoonss on rnonucme LEATHER sunsrrrurns.

No Drawing. d v i To all whom it may concern 'Be it ,thatQIQRroneun ALEXNoun MCLAURIN, paper manufiicturena subject of the King of Great Britainand Ireland, residing at 4 Windsor Quadrant, Kelvinside, Glasgow,Scotland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Processes forProducing Leather Substitutes, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has reference to and comprises ti-mp1 ovements v ,infsubstitutes for leather and' process of preparing same, said substitutesbeing suitable for use in the up holstery, fancy. leather andbookbinding trades and for many other purposes in place of leather,leatherette, cloth paper or like materials, where" such are presentlyemployed, being both durable and waterproof and having the appearanceand qualities-of realleather. The material which is employed as thefoundation of this substitute for leather is that material'called vellumcloth or any similar material of a closely felted fibrous nature but notwoven, in which the fibers are firmly bound together and intermixed,

with a suitable binding material.

In carrying this invention. into effect or practice, the vellum cloth,preferably in web form, as possible to the desired shade of the finishedarticle by being run through a bath of anilin or: other dye with asuitable mordant: It is then dried and calen'dered in a cold calenderafter which it is coated by any.

suitable coating machine with one or more coats ofvcelluloidornitrocellulosein solution to which some drycoloring matterhas been added. After being dried in any suitable manner' it is againcalendered the drying and calendering being repeated after each'coatingand finally,-if desired, it is l embossed or otherwise treated.

To chea en the process by reducing the amount 0 celluloid absorbed bythe material, the vellum cloth is first d ed, and

after being dried, has two coats 0 flexible glue to which coloringmatter has been added applied to it, one onea'ch side, afterSpecification of {Letters Patent. Application filed Jan ary @1912.Serial No. erobso.

f witha solution of flexible is first dyed to a shade as near- PatentedMar. 2, 1915.

which it is dried and calendered thentreated w ith.the celluloidsolution as before.

For the production of one quality of leather substitute of a black colorthe process is as foliows:The vellum cloth or like material is firstdyed, dried, calendered and then saturated by being coated on both sidesin any suitable roller coating machine glue consisting of 112 lbs;glycerin, 144 lbs. glue powder, and 112 lbs. water, to. which is addedblack pulp lake in quantity sufiicient to impart the desired color. thematerial is calendered in a cold calender, the calendered side beinghereinafter called the face side. The material is now coated on its faceside with one or more coatings of celluloid. or nitrocellulose insolution prepared preferably by dissolving celluloid chips or shavingsin methylated spirits, with a proportion of camphor added, withsufiiciency of dry black color in powder. After each coating thematerial is dried in any After coating and drying suitable manner andcalendered on its face side, the coating and calendering being repeateda number of times according to the quality desired. The final coatingconsists of a pure solution of nitrocellulose material with or withoutany color. The material is again calendered and if desired embossed withany pattern desired by impressing rollers, plates in a press or in anysuitable -manner, or otherwise treated.

Instead of black any desired color may be imparted to the material.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The process of making a leather substitute, which consists in-dyeinga' web of closely felted fibrous material, coating said web on bothfaces with a solution of flexible glue, coating. one face of the webwith a solution of nitrocellulose and camphor, and finally coating saidface with a solution of pure nitrocellulose. 2. The process .of'makinstitute, which consists 'in a leather subyeing a web of closely feltedfibrous material, drying and calendering the web, coating both faces ofQ 1,130,619 I y the web with a solution of flexible glue, dry- Intestimony whereof, I have signed my ra ity of coats of nitrocelluloseand cam two subscribing witnesses.

phor to the Web and drying and calendering' RICHARD A, 5 1t after theapplication of each coat, finally' Witnesses:

coating the web with a solutionof pilre Roam Cmnononu Tnoimsox,

nitrocellulose and calendering the same, Tnom s BERNIE Bnownnm. I

m and calendaring the web, applylng a pluname to this specification, inthe presence of

